The number of people receiving regular employment insurance benefits edged down 0.5 per cent to 809,600 in October.

Jobs brochures are seen on display at an employment office. (Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)

The number of initial and renewal claims received during the month amounted to 270,300, down by 7,000 or 2.5 per cent, Statistics Canada said Tuesday. The number of EI claims received has been on a downward trend, a decline of 57,400 over the last five months since the most recent peak in May.

Claims for EI are an early indicator of the number of future beneficiaries down the line.

Regionally, the number of people on EI was down slightly by 2,200 in Quebec in October. In Ontario, the number of EI beneficiaries was 4,200 higher in October, but remained down compared with June, as decreases over the summer months were only partly offset by an increase during the fall.

The number of EI beneficiaries was up by 2,900 or 4.1 per cent in Alberta. That follows a substantial increase the month before of 13,700. Since June, Alberta's overall increase amounted to 11,800, the largest increase of all provinces over the period.

Although little changed on a monthly basis, the number of EI beneficiaries in British Columbia was up 3,900 compared with June.

EI rolls swell 62% on the year

In the year since October 2008, the number of those claiming EI benefits has increased by 309,300, or 61.8 per cent. All provinces and territories have seen increases, but Ontario has led the way with an increase of 122,200 on the EI rolls.

Overall, the number of regular EI beneficiaries peaked in June at 829,300.

The number of regular beneficiaries increased for both sexes and for all age groups, but it rose at a faster pace for men aged 15 to 54, because they are a demographic group disproportionately dependent on the hard-hit manufacturing and construction sectors, the data agency said.